Conventional golf bags have a central containment volume in the form of an elongate cylindrical space. Typically the top or entrance of the golf bag may be reinforced with structures tending to divide only the entrance of the contained volume. While a subdivision of only the entrance of the golf bag helps to protect the club heads to a degree, the club shafts within the bag are free to bump and scratch each other. Further, the extent of the subdivision of the space at the entrance of the golf bag is typically limited to three or six openings. This number does not provide even separation of the clubs, which must be stored at least two clubs per opening. The opening subdivision structure also tends to have thick dividing members which restrict the entrance opening into the golf bag. Consequently a larger number of small subdivided spaces equates to a lesser overall opening space into the golf bag.
Many prior golf bags have attempted division of the bag space. For example, U.S. Pat. No. 5,392,907 to Blanchard et al, and entitled "Golf Club Separating Insert," discloses a series of hexagonal tubes forming a honeycomb pattern and encased in a golf bag. U.S. Pat. No. 4,172,484 to Luther T. Henning, and entitled "Golf Bag" discloses a further variation on the honeycomb pattern resulting in a hexagonal shaped golf bag.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,255,781 to Dulyea, Sr., entitled "Club organizer for Golf Bags", discloses a rigid continuous star shaped insert having a pinched configuration, and which uses connector inserts to hold the pinched configuration. U.S. Pat. No. 5,279,414 to Brasher, entitled "Golf Club Bag with Club Compartments", discloses a square golf bag having a center tube held in place by a series of angled compartments sized to carry the golf clubs with the handles in the up position. U.S. Pat. No. 5,226,533 to Antonious entitled "Golf Club Holder Insert for a Golf Bag" discloses a central finned tube inserted into a golf bag and wherein the central tube is higher than the rim of the golf bag.
These structures all disclose a rigid, heavy solution to the problem of sub-dividing the space within a golf bag. The method for joining the dividers only adds to the weight
A pair of golf bags constructed earlier this century disclosed full length dividers. Great Britain patent No. GB-02-1911 disclosed a first embodiment having a transverse cross section divided into pie shaped chambers. A second embodiment disclosed a length of serpentine arranged material which formed a series of outwardly directed cup shaped (when view ed from the transverse direction) spaces used to support golf clubs individually. Bindings of leather close the bottoms of the formed pockets, and a central rod is used to hold the bag together.
In U.S. Pat. No. 1,798,638 to J. O. Stone and entitled "Golf Club Holder" a series of strips of material are sewn together with alternating width location seems such that when one set of opposite corners are pulled apart and secured to the inside of the golf bag, a 9.times.9 matrix is formed. A simpler model illustrating a seven unit matrix is also shown.
The problem with these designs include their weight, and in the case of Stone, the necessity to vertically anchor the expanded matrix along the length of the golf bag. Further, where the bottom of a series of individual spaces is closed or pinched, there may be a tendency to either wear the end of the golf club handle or to readily wear out the bottom and adjacent side edges of the individual chamber.
One bag which has been on the market has enabled a subdivision of the spaces of a golf bag from the entrance to the bottom. This bag has been originally commercially available by Cal Malibu, Inc. and sold under the trademark name CROSPETE.RTM.. The pattern involves looping side pockets, with the central space defined by the outer portion of the side pockets and also subdivided by an "X" divider. The upper two or three inches of the divided space is stiffened, giving way to soft material extending toward the bottom of the golf bag. Each space formed within the CROSPETE.RTM. bag is individual, extending all the way to the bottom of the bag. The CROSPETE.RTM. bag has 10 small storage spaces about the inner periphery of the bag in combination with four central storage spaces created by the "X" shaped divider which divides the remaining space. The advantages of providing individual spaces include the preservation of the golf clubs. The even dispersion of the spaces within the golf bag prevents the clubs from bunching at one side of the bag or the other. For golfers who carry their bags, the prevention of bunching can assist the golfer in carrying the bag.
Consequently it is important to prevent bunching of the clubs, and to stabilize them within the golf bag. It is preferable that they be stabilized about the periphery of the golf bag, but a given diameter golf bag has a limited peripheral space in which to store the clubs. What is needed is a bag which will enable separate storage spaces for clubs and will enable the distribution of the clubs in a pattern about the periphery of the bag space. The needed design should provide for some give and take between the individual storage spaces and should protect the grip ends as well as possible. The needed design should also allow for better control of the individual compartments, and avoid some of the irregular space which arises due to the "looping" of the material about the inner periphery of the golf bag. The area available for club storage should be subdivided to equalize areas available for club storage, yet not occupy the available area at the upper end of the bag.
Even more importantly, the design should accommodate the slamming of the golf club down into the bag with no appreciable wear of the dividers or the golf club grip end, and without a loud sound. The removal of the clubs should be accompanied by no binding or entangling of the golf club whatsoever.
The distribution should provide a compromise between the limited interior perimeter of a golf bag and the advantages of peripheral distribution of the clubs within the golf bag. The needed golf bag should be easy to construct. The construction of the needed golf bag should be amenable to a process which consistently produces a uniform high quality product.